The Jefferson Era Part 2 The Louisiana Purchase and Lewis and Clark Livingston and Monroe debate about what to do. They know Jefferson wants New Orleans, but they dont know if they have permission to buy all of the extra territory. In the end, we ended up buying all of the Louisiana Territory for $15 million. Overnight, the nation doubles in size. It is one of the greatest land bargains in history. The Nation Doubles in Size Was the Purchase Constitutional? Jefferson was pleased with the purchase, but he wasnt sure he had the authority to do what he did. He finally decided that because the Constitution said he could make treaties, he would make the purchase a treaty and the Senate could approve it. They did so quickly. Lewis and Clark Expedition Now that we own this huge territory, we want to know what is there. Congress approves funds for an exploration. To lead the trip, Jefferson chooses his personal secretary, a man named Meriwether Lewis. Lewis also asks his friend William Clark to go. A total of about 50 men go. 33 year old William Clark, and 29 year old Meriwether Lewis, were good friends, and led the westward expedition. Expedition Instructions Jefferson instructed the party to make careful observations, and write down everything that they observed. He wanted to know about the weather, wildlife, soil, and minerals. The explorers were also supposed to find out more about the Indians in the area, and to try and make friends with them. We hoped to establish trade with them. Most importantly, the party was to search for the NORTHWEST PASSAGE a waterway to the Pacific that people had been searching for, for centuries. The Expedition Begins In May of 1804, The Corps of Discovery leaves St. Louis and travels up the Missouri River. At first, they travel slowly, because they are fighting the rivers current. Along the way, they trade with Natives. They had brought items such as medals, beads, knives, blankets, needles, and fishhooks. The expedition left in the Spring of 1804. A replica of a keel boat Winter With the Mandans As winter approached, the explorers stayed with the Mandan Indians in modern-day North Dakota. Luckily, they met a young Shoshone Indian girl named Sacagawea. She was from the Rockies and knew the region well. She agreed to act as a guide and an interpreter. Her husband and small child also went. The expedition, which had been traveling slowly, spent the winter of with the Mandans in what is now North Dakota. Although we are not sure of her exact age, Sacagawea was probably about 16 just 2 or 3 years older than you!!! An even greater fact, is that she was from the area that is now Idaho!!! The Expedition Continues On the journey, the explorers ran into a lot of animals, including grizzly bears. Mosquitoes were also thick and bothersome, and would sometimes get into the noses of men and animals. Sacagawea was very helpful in identifying natural vegetables that could be eaten and herbs that could be used for medicine. The fact that a woman and a baby were part of the expedition probably signaled to Indians along the way, that this group was not a war party. Clarks black slave York was also a source of interest to some natives who had never seen a black person before. The great falls of the Missouri River proved to be a difficult obstacle. The Rocky Mountains also proved to be a huge obstacle to try and overcome. Sacagawea Finds Her Brother As a child, Sacagawea had been kidnapped from her people. One day as they met some Shoshone Indians, she recognized one of the chiefs as her brother. She helped convince the Shoshones to aid the party over the mountains. The expedition crossed the Rocky Mountains using what is now called the Lolo Pass. Reaching the Pacific Ocean As the explorers crossed the mountains, they realized the rivers were running west. They knew the CONTINENTAL DIVIDE had been crossed. It is the place where water either drains toward the Mississippi River or the Pacific Ocean. They met the Nez Perce Indians who lived in the region. They could have killed the party, but allowed them to live. It was determined the Salmon River was too dangerous to travel on. After floating down the Clearwater and Snake Rivers, Lewis and Clark reached the Columbia River, and from there the explorers floated all the way to the ocean. The explorers reached the Pacific Ocean in November of They built a fort called Fort Clatsop (named after the local Indians), and stayed the winter there. It was a cold, wet, dreary winter with only a few days of sunshine. The men were very anxious to return home the following Spring, so they left in March. On the return trip, they split into two groups through part of Montana. The party led by Lewis did have a SKIRMISH with some Blackfeet Indians, and two natives were killed. The two parties joined up again, said goodbye to Sacagawea and her family, and sailed on down to St. Louis. The Corps of Discovery got back to St. Louis, in the fall of 1806 and were celebrated as heroes. President Jefferson was thrilled by the information and artifacts they brought back with them. During their 2 year journey, they hardly had any Indian troubles. Only one party member died, most likely from a burst appendix. Historically, Lewis & Clark have received a lot of attention for the tremendous journey they went on. There was also another adventurer who was not as successful, but explored parts of the Louisiana territory. Zebulon Pike Zebulon Pikes Journeys In , Zebulon Pike was the leader of a group who explored the upper Mississippi River. They were sent to meet with local natives, and to try and identify the source of the river. They also tried to warn the British it was time to leave the area now that the region was in U.S. hands. The following year, Pike was sent to explore some of the southern parts of the Louisiana Purchase. His group was to explore both the Arkansas and Red Rivers and to try and find their sources. Some historians have argued that Pike may have been a spy sent to scope out Spanish land. The routes of Pikes two journeys He and his group explored parts of what are now the states of Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Colorado, New Mexico, and Texas. In February 1807, they were captured by the Spanish and first taken to Santa Fe, and further into Spanish Mexico to the town of Chihuahua. Eventually, Pike was released under protest by the Spanish government at the Louisiana border on July 1, A weak Spanish government had been nervous about American intentions for their lands. Zebulon Pike died a few years later fighting in the War of 1812.